The Organization of the Congregation in the Early Lutheran Churches in America | Page 4

been used ever since its establishment. These officers
were named Elders (Ouderlinge) and Deacons (Diaconen), who, with
the Pastor, formed the Church Council (Kerckenraet). They were not
chosen for life, but in this country, as in Holland, for a fixed term,
usually two years. This organization of the Dutch Reformed
congregations in this country agrees, entirely with that of the Reformed
Church in Holland, as described by Benthem in his "Hollaendische
Kirchen und Schul Staat," except that in Holland the pastors and elders
alone form the Church Council; but there the deacons are also admitted
to it in feeble congregations where the number of elders was small.
Another feature of the organization of the Dutch Reformed Churches is
that, in important cases, all who have ever held the office of elder or
deacon are called together to give counsel. The Dutch churches here
named were situated near to our Lutheran people, and they were the
earliest formed among the Reformed or Lutherans, and must naturally
have had an influence on their neighbors. In the Neshaminy settlement
were found representatives of three religious bodies: there were Dutch
Lutherans, who were afterward visited by Muehlenberg, Swedish
Lutherans ministered to by the Wicaco pastors, and in largest numbers
Dutch Reformed, with resident pastors, with whom the Scotch-Irish
Presbyterian settlers coalesced. The Swedish pastors certainly held
services in the Reformed Church, and I have no doubt that
Muehlenberg's services were held in the same church, as the Lutherans
were few and never had a separate building.

The German Reformed congregations in Philadelphia, 1727,
Germantown, Skippach, 1720, Goschenhoppen, 1731, Saucon, 1731,
Egypt, 1731, Oley, 1731, Mosellem, 1731, and therefore in general
throughout the district between the Schuylkill and Delaware, were
formed somewhat earlier than the Lutheran congregations in their
vicinity. As the members of the two religious bodies were closely
intermarried and often worshipped in the same buildings, it is
self-evident that the earlier organizations must have had an important
influence on the later. Beside this, in Europe, especially in Holland, but
also in Germany, there was a fuller self-government in the Reformed
congregations than prevailed in the Lutheran in Germany. Their system
was, therefore, better adapted for transplanting to a new country, where
there was no connection between Church and State. The earliest
German Reformed pastors came by way of Holland, and were aided by
the church of that country, so that we may expect to find a close
similarity between the Reformed organizations in this country, both
German and Dutch, and we will not be disappointed in this. In his
"Historic Manual of the Reformed Church," Rev. Dr. J. H. Dubbs
shows such familiarity with the condition and history of the Reformed
congregations from the beginning, that it was natural that we should
turn to him, as a personal friend through many years, for reliable
information as to the form of organization in the older congregation. In
answer he says: "There can, I think, be no doubt that the offices of elder
and deacon were brought over from the Fatherland, precisely as we
have them at present. Max Goebel informs us (Geschichte des Chr.
Lebens, vol. ii., p. 76) that in the Reformed Churches of the Rhine
country, in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, elders were
always elected with prayer in the presence of the most prominent
members of the congregation. Ordinarily the election was conducted by
the Consistory: sometimes by the congregation itself, a double number
of candidates being proposed by the retiring members of the Consistory.
Every year one-half of the elders retired from office. The deacons were
elected in the same manner as the elders. Their office had special
reference to the wants of the poor. The election of elders for life was
entirely unknown in the Dutch and German churches. Such is Goebel's
account. I have few documents of an earlier date than 1740; but
between that date and 1760 there are many in which both offices are

mentioned. I have a document of 1730 signed by the 'AEltesten' of the
Reformed Church at Philadelphia. A petition in English, addressed in
1732 to Governor Gordon, is signed by seven 'Ancients' of the same
congregation. Here four of the names are new, showing an intervening
election. The deacons are not mentioned, but would naturally not
appear in a document of that kind. Most of the early letters are
addressed to the 'AElteste und Diaconen' of the several churches. The
rules for the Government of the Reformed Church at Amwell, N. J.,
1749, are signed by the 'AElteste und Diaconen oder Vorsteher.' It
seems, therefore, that the two terms were used interchangeably. With
regard to the points of doubt you suggest, I can only say:
"1. The two distinct orders, elders and deacons, have certainly existed
from the beginning in the American churches.